HP Launches New Z1 Workstation Range

HP has unveiled its new Z range of all-in-one workstations with a list of impressive specifications and workplace flexibility, but those wanting a touchscreen will be disappointed.

HP is touting the all new Z1 as the world’s first all-in-one workstation with a 27-inch 2560×1440 LED backlit display, making it suitable for engineering purposes and the use of CAD (computer-aided design), as well as graphic design and animation work.

The company first revealed the machine in February before officially launching it this week. It will begin shipping in April.

Impressive specs

The all in one unit can snap open to let the user swap out parts (such as a hard disk) and make upgrades without using a tool. When the user has finished messing around with the machine internals and closes the lid, a hydraulic cylinder slows down the last 10mm of closing to prevent possible shock damage. A Kensington lock is also there for the security concious.

Traditionally, all-in-one units are not designed for the user who needs serious computer power (usually they opt for tower-based systems), but HP has managed to design a high performance machine housed inside a 27-inch screen.

It is powered by Intel Xeon E3 processors and can be configured with up to 32GB ECC DDR3 of memory. Graphics wise there is a choice of cards available, starting from the entry 3D NVIDIA Q500M graphics card, right up to the high end 3D NVIDIA Q4000M.

Onboard storage options include SATA 7200 3.5-inch drives (250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB capacities), right through to high-end SATA Solid State Drives (SSDs) in 160GB or 300GB capacities. The machines are RAID compatible too.

There are six USB ports on the outside (including two USB 3.0 ports), as well as an HD 1080p 2.0 megapixel webcam. Optical storage options includes either a DVD +/- RW or Blu-ray.

Workstation powerhouse

The workstations do not come cheap and pricing begins at £1,349 (plus VAT). The machine can be shipped loaded with with Windows 7, SUSE or RedHat Enterprise Linux.

HP has opted not to include a touchscreen, but workstations like this are typically aimed at CAD and graphic design environments, where pen-based interfaces are often preferred. However, the new Z1 is so interoperable that touchscreen technology could be implemented in the future.

HP does offer more powerful workstations, including the high-end HP Z820, although it is tower-based.

At the moment HP is undergoing something of a transformation. The company is said to be in the process of merging its PC and printer groups. The move is part of the restructuring change at the Silicon Valley giant as CEO Meg Whitman attempts to position HP for the future.